Night.
Inside the Strauss residence.
“Let’s toast to taking a big step toward becoming professional Wizards!” Before departure, Igor prepared a lavish banquet.
Holding juice, he stood in front of Mirajane, Elfman, Lisanna, and Gildarts and began speaking loudly.
“Cheers!” The next instant, Mirajane, Elfman, Lisanna, and Gildarts raised their glasses of juice and beer and clinked them against Igor’s juice glass.
They downed their drinks in one gulp and let out satisfied voices: “Ahh, refreshing!” “All right, let’s start!” Then Gildarts was the first to set down his wine glass.
Looking at the dazzling array of dishes lined up on the table, he wiped the drool hanging from the corner of his mouth, unable to wait another moment to start eating heartily.
Gildarts usually traveled alone.
While he could not be said to live extravagantly, he did almost everything himself.
According to Gildarts, all he needed in life was “women” and “beer.” “Gildarts, that cake you ate was mine!” When Mirajane saw Gildarts eating her favorite strawberry cake without permission, she began hissing fiercely like a cat with its fur standing on end.
“Aren’t there still three left?” Gildarts finished the cake in his hand in no time and turned his gaze to the three pastries remaining on the plate.
“Those belong to Igor, Elfman, and Lisanna.” Mirajane answered Gildarts’ question with uncontainable anger.
“Sorry, I already ate it…” Gildarts said with a smug smile.
“This bastard who steals kids’ snacks and still grins — are you really the strongest Wizard on the Ishgar Continent?!” Mirajane’s eyebrows kept twitching.
If the strongest Wizard in the Ishgar magic world looked like this, this magic world was surely going to perish!
“By the way, is this Fairy Tail Guild really strong?” Mirajane let out a big breath, expelled all the bitter feelings accumulated in her chest, and looked at Igor with questioning eyes.
“…” “I can’t really say…” Igor stiffened a little.
Mirajane’s question was truly on point, and he was at a loss for words for a moment.
“Of course it’s strong.” “Our Fairy Tail Guild is the strongest Wizard Guild on the Ishgar Continent… without a doubt.” Gildarts set down his beer glass.
As the strongest Wizard of the Fairy Tail Guild, he of course had to protect the guild.
Of course, at least for him, their Fairy Tail Guild was legitimate.
What the Magic Council councilors thought was a completely different matter.
The moment she heard the word “strongest,” Mirajane’s inner code seemed to activate, and she laughed, “If it’s the strongest Wizard Guild, then it’s definitely worth visiting.” “Phew.” Seeing Gildarts use the word “strongest” to deceive Mirajane, Igor let out a sigh of relief.
If Mirajane had strongly demanded that Igor explain the ways of the Fairy Tail Guild, it would have been quite difficult for Igor himself.
… Late at night.
“Gildarts, you stay in the warehouse.” Mirajane began assigning rooms.
“Eh?
Why do I have to sleep in the warehouse?” “Wow, what a huge warehouse!
It’s bigger than my house…” Although Gildarts said that, when he realized the Strauss family’s warehouse was larger than his own hut in Magnolia Town, he said nothing more.
After Mirajane finished assigning rooms, everyone returned to their own rooms to rest.
Nothing happened that night.
… Early the next morning.
8:00 a.m.
Igor and his group had already finished packing.
He, Mirajane, and Elfman each carried a huge backpack half as tall as a person and left the Strauss villa.
From today, they would bid farewell to life in this small village.
“Have you finished packing everything?” When Igor and his group came out of the villa, the white-haired old village chief and his subordinates were already waiting quietly outside the villa gate.
When the village chief saw Igor and the others coming out of the villa, he greeted them kindly and instructed, “Please check carefully that you have everything you need.
This journey is very long, so be careful that nothing goes wrong.” “Don’t worry, Village Chief Grandpa.” Hearing this, Igor, Lisanna, and Elfman answered the village chief’s question in unison.
“Don’t worry, old man.” Mirajane pouted.
She hated these sad farewells the most.
“Mm.” The village chief nodded and continued, “You all make sure to eat on time while traveling!
Also, keep your bodies warm so you don’t catch a cold, and also…” “If I have the chance, you definitely want to visit again.” After a long silence, the village chief gave Igor and his group one last instruction.
“Don’t worry, old man.
I’m very strong…” “All right, then let me show you what magical power is.” Mirajane gave the village chief a proud smile.
Without hesitation, she used Take Over Magic to completely absorb the “demon soul” inside her body and transformed into a monster with scales growing on her limbs and demon wings growing from her back.
Then she said with a serious expression, “Grandpa, read the newspapers carefully!
My journey will surely become famous all over the world!” “…” The villagers who had come from behind the village chief to collect the house immediately showed fearful expressions when they saw Mirajane’s scale-covered “demon” form and whispered, “Village Chief, isn’t Mirajane really possessed by a demon?” “Probably not.” “After all, the Great Wizard we spent a huge amount of money to bring from the city didn’t say anything.” Among them were villagers who felt relieved when they saw Gildarts still dozing behind Mirajane and the others, clearly not used to waking up early.
“There are no more demons in our village.” The village chief glanced at the villagers behind him and said in a somewhat serious tone, “Only the heroes who saved you, and the villagers preparing to travel far away, can save you.” “Yes, yes, Village Chief.” The villagers immediately stopped whispering when they received a warning from the wise village chief and no longer dared to discuss whether Mirajane was possessed by a demon.
“Well then, it’s about time we go.
Everyone, goodbye.” Seeing that, Mirajane did not explain.
She simply put away the “demon soul” she had completely absorbed inside her body, transformed back into an ordinary human, waved to the village chief, and together with Igor and the others began walking west toward Magnolia City.
“Mirajane, goodbye!
Thank you for helping us!” “Elfman, Lisanna, it’ll be lonely without you…” “Big Brother Igor, you must come see us again!” When Igor, Mirajane, and their group arrived at the edge of the village, they were greeted by heartfelt cheers from hundreds of villagers.
“This is good…” Igor smiled.
Yes, that’s right.
He wanted the Strauss Siblings to leave their hometown as heroes.
They deserved it.
“Igor, you’ve really worked hard!” Gildarts, who traveled all over the continent, knew how people in remote areas treated those who had awakened magic, and their attitude was never friendly.
Villages that treated Mirajane and other awakened Wizards as heroes like this village were extremely rare.
One can only imagine… Igor must have put in considerable effort.